Hello everyone! My name is Beatrice Chua. I’m a Singaporean citizen and I am currently pursuing my undergraduate degree in Management Science from University College London (UCL) and will be...
In China, the official currency is called (人民币) ren min bi (literally, “the people’s money”), and the (元) yuan, is the basic unit of ren min bi. You’ll typically see the 元Chinese character in stores or on signs to refer to the cost, but when you pay, people typically call the (元) yuan (块) kuai. So basically, 1 yuan = 1 kuai. To further break it down, 1 (元) yuan is equivalent to 10 (角) jiao or (毛) mao. To simplify: one unit, several names. It can even be abbreviated in several ways: RMB and ¥. Otherwise, the system is fairly simple.
Beijing is beautiful all year round, but its temperature across the four seasons usually covers a wide range from 40 °C to -20 °C! Typically, the nicest and most comfortable seasons are spring and autumn. Unfortunately, those are the shortest seasons, and only last around one month. For those seasons, a casual dress shirt and some slacks would be ideal for your internship in Beijing. For the winter, expect a long, cold, and dry four months and really bundle up from November to March. The cold air really is biting, and if you’re from a tropical climate, you might even find the weather there inhospitable. On the other hand, Beijing in the summer is scorching, with copious amounts of rainfall. Also, since it’s tourist season, the extra hundreds of thousands of people spreading their own body heat around the city doesn’t exactly help. Just make sure you bring several bottles of water, light clothing, and a big hat that provides shade. Investing in a parasol might even be a good idea. As long as you’re dressed properly for the temperature, you’re sure to enjoy your time interning in Beijing.
